Page 75 of Brutal Collateral

“Getting acquainted with him in the biblical way already?”

“No.” I lift her tea and say, “Let’s go talk in the sunroom.”

“A tea for you, too, Ma’am?” Bridget asks, seeing me breathe in the warm ginger and lemon aroma.

“I would love some, andpleasecall me Ava.”

“Yes, Ma’am,” she says and returns to the kitchen.

Rolling my eyes, and holding the tea, I steer Aunt Helena down a set of floating steps and through the grand living room. I stop short at the glass doors to the backyard seeing a guard standing atop the retaining wall, wearing a suit. He’s facing outward checking out the yards we’re wedged between.

Aunt Helena follows me into the sunroom where I hand her the tea and close the door.

With the warm cup in her palms, she looks around. “You could have done a lot worse, Ava.”

I reach for a wicker chair with a seat cushion to sit on. “I can’t wrap my head around having to marry a stranger.”

Even if he’s not a stranger. Something I’m not sure I’m allowed to reveal to anyone in my family. Griffin’s brothers had to drag it out of him yesterday.

Aunt Helena sits on the chair facing me. “I didn’t know your uncle until he showed up for dinner one night and my father announced our engagement.”

“What did that feel like?” I’d heard the story, but at the time it felt so far removed that I couldn’t identify with what she must have gone through.

“I had no choice.” She shrugs.

“If I tell you something, will you promise to keep it between us?” I pull my legs together and lean forward.

“I’ll try, but if one of your psycho brothers puts a knife to my throat, I’m spilling the tea.” She raises her cup metaphorically.

“Yeah, I know how they can be.” I wave her off and above a whisper, I add, “Griffin said the marriage doesn’t have to be...forever. He’ll...he’ll let me go.”

“After how long?” She puts down the tea on a side table next to her chair. “The whole point was to create a lasting peace.”

“He said in a year our marriage won’t be needed. But I asked for six months. And he agreed.”

The worried look on my aunt’s face tells a story my brothers never bothered to elaborate. “Alexander used to have dinner with me every Thursday night. The fighting was worse on the weekends, and he often didn’t have time to eat. The stories he told terrified me. Each time when he left me, I worried I’d never see him again. And then one day, my worst fears came true,” she sniffs. “The things your brothers have gone through, Ava. They come off as brutal and cold. They’ve been fighting a difficult war with those Irish.”

“You know Griffin wasn’t part of that, right? He worked for another family.”

“Ares told me. But still...”

“Nobut still.” I shake my head. “He’s different. His brothers are...nice. They have a sister, too.”

“Does this six-month marriage mean there won’t be children?”

As much as I blame Ares for using me, I see now Alexander wanted to use me, too. Each with no care for my personal life or if I’d find love.

“He said I don’t have to...sleep with him.”

“You came from his bedroom.”

“In the biblical sense.” Did I just say that? “He wants everyone to think the marriage is real.”

“And then what? Rip the rug out from everyone by casting you aside?” She stands up. “I’ll speak to him.”

“You want to speak to me?” Griffin stands in the doorway, showered, his wet hair slicked back. It outlines his face more and accentuates his wide strong jaw covered in golden scruff.

He looks...savage.

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